potlatch
UK[ˈpɒt.lætʃ]US[ˈpɑːt.lætʃ]
n
A ceremonial feast among certain Indigenous peoples of the northwest Pacific coast of North America, marked by the host's lavish distribution of gifts and sometimes the destruction of property to display wealth and status.
n
A social event or party characterized by lavish giving or consumption.
Etymology
The word 'potlatch' entered English in the mid-19th century from Chinook Jargon, where 'patshatl' meant "to give" or "a gift." Chinook Jargon itself borrowed the term from the Nuu-chah-nulth (Nootka) language, where 'pa' means "to give" and the suffix conveys a sense of continuity or repetition. The ceremony's core logic of competitive gift-giving to establish social rank was encapsulated in this single term. English adopted it not just as a cultural label but also abstracted its meaning to describe any ostentatious display of generosity.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from Chinook Jargon, a trade language, and is not meaningfully divisible into smaller English morphemes based on its current spelling.
Examples
The chief's potlatch was a grand affair, with canoes and blankets given away to hundreds of guests.
Anthropologists have studied the potlatch as a complex economic and social institution.
Their annual holiday party became a veritable potlatch of gourmet food and expensive presents.